Dial attachment for telephones



April 27, 1954 B. VAN R. MARTINDALE 2,676,427

DIAL ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES Filed Feb. 19, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l WI TNESSES: INVENT R.-

BY 041 W f 0% ATTORNEYS.

April 27. 1954 B. VAN R. MARTINDALE 2,676,427

DIAL ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES Filed Feb. 19, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FfGi 6 FIG. :7.

WITNESSES: l INVENTOR: 0% flmm'ce m/z/Zjmflmdale,

BY @zuu W w ATTORNEYS.

APril 27, 1954 B. VAN R. MARTINDALE 2,676,427

DIAL ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES Filed Feb. 19, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 aHV f I 255 1 WITNESSES.-

[/BY Wm ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIAL ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES Beatrice van R. Martindale, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application February 19, 1947, Serial No. 729,546 2 Claims. (01. 40 1o.5)

l My invention has general reference to dial telephones, that is to say desk and wall phones including a finger plate rotatable relative to a subjacent stationary plate bearing appropriate letters and numerals whereby the user may automatically obtain the desired party or call number.

More particularly this invention relates to the species or form of telephone dial adjunct or attachment enabling the phone to be used with equal facility at night, or in the dark, without the aid of artificial light.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple attachment of the type specified in the preceding. paragraph which can be applied to standard forms of dial telephones with a minimum expenditure of effort and time by anyone, and without the use of tools or other manipulative means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dial attachment for telephones which will not involve any change whatsoever in the form or design of conventional desk and wall dial telephones, while it is of a character equally well applicable to standard type phones, that may have become deformed or damaged.

A further object is to provide a telephone dial attachment that will not in any way conflict with the standard forms of indicia or markings used by telephone companies, and which serves solely in an adjunctive capacity to increase the serviceability thereof.

With the above stated objects and ancillary advantages in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter fully disclosed, illustrated by the accompanying three sheets of drawings, and more tersely expressed in the concluding claims.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of a. French" type desk, or the like, telephone stand with the receiver omitted, and including a typical form of the novel attachment in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a face view taken approximately as indicated by the angled arrows II-II to the lefthand of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken approximately as indicated by the broken line and associated arrows III--III in Fig. 2, but drawn to a larger scale for clearer illustration of structural details.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the novel dial attachment of this invention as shown in Figs. 1-3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 3 but showing a slightly changed form of the attachment.

Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is a face view of the upper portion of a pay-station dial telephone showing a modified form of this invention.

Fig. '7 is a broken and somewhat reduced scale side elevation of the preceding figure as viewed looking from the right hand thereof.

Fig. 8 is a staggered section taken as indicated by thebroken line and arrows VI1I-VIII in Fig. 6, but drawn to a larger scale for a clearer showing of the structure.

Fig. 9 is an obverse view of the novel attachment shown in Figs. 6-8 with the fastening or clip means formed as an integral part thereof.

Fig. 10 is a smaller scale plan view of Fig. 9 as initially stamped out.

Fig.111 is a fragmentary sectional view substantially similar to Fig. 8 showing how the clip means may be anchored in the attachment.

Fig. 12, Sheet 3, is a side view of the base portion of a standard telephone instrument of the dial species and showing my novel attachment as adapted thereto.

Fig; 13 is a plan view of same with flanking portion of the base at the sides and upper part broken away to compact the view.

Fig. 14 is a local section taken approximately as indicated by the broken line and arrows XIV-XIV in Fig. 13, but drawn to larger scale for clearer'illustration of the details.

Fig. 15 is a similar section taken on the plane XVXV of Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is a face view of the novel attachment shown in Figs. 12-15.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view showing howthe clip means of Figs. 12-16 may be anchored in the novel attachment; and,

Fig. 18 is a relatively larger scale section taken as indicated by the staggered line and arrows XVIII-XVIII in Fig. 17.

In the following detailed description of the embodiments of this invention shown by the accompanying sheets of drawings, specific terms will be applied for the sake of clarity, but it is to be understood that such terms are used in a descriptive sense and not as limitative. Each such term is, however, intended to include all technical equivalents which function in a similar manner to accomplish an analogous purpose.

Referring more in detail to the drawings the reference character 20, Figs. 1 and 2, designates the base of a French type telephone instrument or set, the same including feet 2| and posts 22,

between which latter the receivernot shownnormally seats; while 23 indicates the fixed symbo dial, 24 the usual finger-operative dialingring, and 25 the conventional stop-hook. The symbol dial 23 has on its outer face the usual indicia and numeral aids 26, 21 respectively for making the desired call, in accordance with customary procedure.

In carrying .out thepresent inventionl .conveniently blank out an annular element 28 from appropriate thin sheet metal with inner and outer rims 29, for reception of a transparent flat ring 39 having its circumferential edge portion stepped at 3| for clamping reception thereto ofthe outer peripheral inturned edge 32 of the. rim -29, while the ring 30 also has embedded in or suitably affixed thereto self -luminous indicia.anki digit 34 corresponding to those 26, 21 on the dialplate 23.

In order to firmly secure the annular element co-planarly concentric with the symbol plate -23 and dialing ring -24, I conveniently makeuseof the means now to be described. This means comprises fiexil'ale hook 'or holder-devices one of which; as viewed in'Figs. 1-4, the upper preferably consists of a length of flexibiewire-bent to provide an attaching or embedment'section'35 and relatively stepped 'parts 36, 36 with terminal biased grips 31, 31. The stepped parts 36 and grips 3'1 are suitabiy-bentto snugly 'coact with the posts 22iin-maintainingthe annular element 28 irrproperposition laterally whereas the other or lower means consists of a similar wire of somewhat stirrup shape, appropriately-fashioned to include-an arcuate'attaching or'embedment section '38,- outwardly tapering parts 39, spaced vertical portions 40, Fig. 1,'and a horizontally directed rectangular clamp-sectionfl adapted to engage below the bottom surface of the French -type instrinnentbase 20. The annular element 28 'is notched out at"4'2,-as indicated'inFig. 4to accommodate'the stop-hookiB "and .thereby serve as a further aid in'maintaining said .element against displacement. Furthermore when'the' respective holder-device attaching section'is secured to the sheet metal'element 28. this mayconvenientiy'be done with solder as at 43, see Fig. 3, or otherwise; whereaswhen the annular element'i-lll of Fig. 5, is wholly 1 formed of transparent material suchas glass, Lucite orthe like, the.terminal parts 31 may'beangularly turned at 44 and embedded in said element"3.ll, while such. element. is ,preferably made of the segmental cross-sections'hown in said Fig. .5 to enhance visibility of the selfluminous "indicia 33 and digits'l34.

Turning now to Figs. 6-10 all parts having equivalents to 'these already described 'wiil "be correspondingly designated by similar-references with an a'dded'prime'exponent, while those features distinguishing thereoverwill bedistinctively characterized, in order to obviate unnecessary repetitive matter. As herein'before noted "the form of my invention shownin -Figsfi6-l0 exemplifies its adaptation to wall and pay-station telephones, accordingly the reference 45-indicates a fragmentary portion of 'a'wall'while the'characters '46, "4-1 respectively designate "the instrument casing and the coin-inserting portion: whereas 24' and 25"are the'dialingring-and stop- 4 inner and outer concentric rims 29, Figs. 8 and 9, both of which are bent over to hold the transparent fiat ring 30 in place as before described. It is to be observed, however, that the tongues 48 are reversely angled as best seen at 49, in Fig. 8, and then inwardly clinched below the dial housing flange 50 so as to rigidly retain the annular element 23' against displacement. Thus it will be apparent that with this form ofmyinvention the element 29' can be readily applied to the telephone instrument by simply registering the notch 42' with the stop-hook and then bending the tongues 48 over to the rear of the annular element 28', inanobvious manner. It is to be noted that thetransparent element may have the surrounding and relatively outer inturned ledge-:32 oiith-eannular element 28' embedded at hook. From Fig. lO'it'isto be seen that the 'annular element 28 is blanked out fromthin pliabie sheet metal .to'provide'the stop-hook notch fli, as well as radially .direct'ed 'circiiniferentilly- 5| in said transparent element 30' during the casting or moulding of the latter.

In Figs. 12-18 there are shown other possible ways of applying my improved telephone dial attachment, of'thespecies previously explainedjas adapted for the conventional or standard'style form of desk or table instrument including a'circular'base '52 with an eccentrically related standard-53 having a head at its-lower part andan inclined dialing attachment 55. The attachment 55 is of the form illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, (rand '7, hence corresponding reference characters are applied to Figs. 12-18 with an added double prime exponent to obviate'further detailed explanation, while the distinguishing features only will'be'n'ow clarified. In this connection it "will be seenthat the attachment and annular element "28" "or transparent ring 30 are sustained in position solely by aid of the n-otchfli coacting with the stop hook 25"'and a single holder'or retainer'device56, preferably'in the'form of "a spring'grip. More specifically this retainer device"56'consists of a length of "springwirebent to provideamore than 'semi circular grip hook 51 adapted to be easily sprung around the standard 53 to seat on the associated head 54 aforesaidas clearly shown in'Figs. 12, 1'3, and 17 The devicel55is furtherprovided witha planarly stepped anchorage section SB'arranged to be soldered or welded to the "rear'face of the annular element "28" fat on alternatively; to be embedded in'theitransparent 'material ring 3 of "Figs. '14 and '18. When the deviceis embedded inithetranspa'rent ring 30" of Figs. and 18 it'is'tobe'notedithat the anchorage section .58 is preferably formed with an undulationior termina1"kink'59 whereby said section 58'ispositively secured againstbecoming'loose or detached.

5 In conclusion, whilel have describedmyinvention with some degree of particularity as to prererable forms thereof, it is to be understoodthat the structures shown are merelyillustrative,.and that such changes asmay-befound expedient'in adapting said invention to other than conventional telephone instruments, maybe resorted .to withoutideparting from the scopeofz-the vfollowing claims. I I

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

11 :Amattachment for -a telephone instrument having a, rectangular base with a sloping front, supporting feet at corners,and-asmaller-rectangular top with upstanding projections at corners, and'a-call dial mounted on thesloping front-of base, said attachment comprising a substantially'fiat annulus with self-illuminating indicia thereon correspondingto-the indicia on the-.dial;

SP QF l ser-m li- 9 jw h 1 an at hed-m a s er-su p the annulus in position around the call dia1 including an upper bail-like securing member of wire with laterally-spaced rearwardly-extending loop portions for engaging downwardly over the frontal pair of upstanding lugs at the top of the base, and a lower securing member likewise of wire with laterallyspaced side portions adapted to extend downwardly of the lower part of the base front and having rearwardly-extending terminal portions for engaging beneath the base bottom in the interval between the frontal pair of feet of the base.

2. An attachment for telephones according to claim 1, wherein the annulus is of transparent non-metallic material, and wherein anchorage portions of the upper and lower securing members are embedded in said annulus.

References Cited in the 1111: of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 15 Number 

